Published by: Bear Acuda
If you haven’t already heard, this Saturday’s NFL Playoff game between the Miami Dolphins and Kansas City ‘Chiefties’ (the artists formerly known as the ‘Chiefs’) will not be airing on television, at least in the traditional sense. The only way to tune into the AFC Wild Card game is to purchase the streaming app Peacock. Just when I thought media companies couldn’t sink any lower, I realized exactly what play was being made.
Peacock Bets On ‘Swifties’ Paying to See Taylor Swift Attend AFC Wild Card Game
When I reexamined the potential reasoning behind Peacock’s big gamble ($110 million, to be exact), it hit me like a ton of bricks: They’re going all in on Swifties.
This game is going to be the first of its kind. The NFL granting unique rights to a streaming service for a playoff game has never been done. Yes, technically Amazon Prime is the first streaming giant to hold NFL games exclusively – having bought up the rights to Thursday Night Football (TNF) last season. Peacock is also not new to streaming football games.
NBC has been the home of Notre Dame Fighting Irish football since the 90’s (1991, to be exact) and NBC renewed their contract with ND in November, extending its coverage of Irish football until 2029. NBCUniversal Media Group owns Peacock, which shares made-man status at the Godfather’s table, Comcast. Peacock began streaming Notre Dame football games which could only be viewed through the app (streaming service), but that was merely the hors d’oeuvres.
“Enter Stage Left: Swifties.”
The “Taylor Swift Effect”
Fans of Taylor Swift have skyrocketed the viewership of NFL games since she became romantically involved with the Chiefs superstar tight end, Travis Kelce (specifically, the games in which Taylor is an attendee). Thirsty Swifties across the globe – eager to consume her love story, every Sunday, as it plays out on national television – have only aided the viewership ratings of the sporting league that is the undisputed champion of American television. No television show has ratings that can consistently compete with NFL games. Fact. Swifties only increase the gap.
Now, Chiefs fans & Taylor Swift fans have valmorphorized into some sort of pop-culture loving, tabloid-consuming, NFL fan which I have dubbed “Chiefties” (otherwise known as the female demographic of NFL fans). No, I’m not saying that women haven’t enjoyed football pre-Taylor Swift, but what I am saying is females of all ages have not tuned into the NFL at such high numbers. It’s known as the “Taylor Swift Effect” or “Taylor Swift Economics”. The girl is a global economy in herself; everywhere she goes, people make money. And thanks to (the) TSE, the NFL has been making money hand-over-fist, and NBCUniversal is looking to get in on the giveaway.
It’s brilliant, actually. I hate it, but it’s brilliant.
Peacock brass is betting that they will get millions of new eyes on their streaming service, specifically pre-adult females, and I have to agree with them. Peacock is known for The Office reruns, and that’s about it. There is nothing fresh or edgy in Peacock’s content to organically pull prepubescent – young adult minds away from TikTok and YouTube. Selling Saturday’s Chiefs/Dolphins game, almost like it were an exclusive Pay-Per-View (PPV) event, will entice the attention-handicapped brains of Gen Z’ers across America (and potentially, worldwide) into annoying their parents into buying a one-month subscription to the streaming service.
Hell, the new eyes alone that will be put on Peacock’s app is worth the marketing fee for such a play. Say only 1% of people continue their service for a year, another 1% hold onto the app for a month (in case the ploy is used again for another Chiefs game), and another 1% forget to cancel their subscription by the next billing cycle, they will make their money back, and then some. The goal is to get new eyes on the product, and from there, it’s up to the business to sell the consumer on the rest. This does that.
Will I be tuning into Saturday’s game?
Only if I can borrow AK98’s dad’s Peacock account. That house loves their Irish football, but even Chiefs playing in the game are trying to come up with creative new ways to help Chiefties watch the game.
Rather than expressing frustration over the Kansas City Chiefs’ AFC Wild Card game against the Miami Dolphins being exclusively streamed, defensive end Charles Omenihu has chosen to respond proactively.
The six-year veteran Omenihu announced that he would be distributing 90 three-month Peacock subscriptions before his team’s NFL Playoff game. Omenihu, a former Texas Longhorn, is in his first season with the Chiefs, having previously played for Houston and San Francisco. This season, Omenihu is having one of his best seasons. In 11 games, he’s recorded 18 tackles, five tackles for loss, 11 quarterback hits, seven sacks, and two forced fumbles.
Will the Peacock gamble pay-off? We’ll just have to wait and see.
Either way, Swift should probably be given a slice of the cheese for bringing in the truck beds full of cash…
If she already isn’t. More on that later…
Will you be purchasing Peacock to watch the NFL Playoffs? If so, will it be for the Wild Card Game or for Taylor Swift?
Let me know in the comment section below, and be honest. I don’t get paid to judge. Or, you can follow us on social media:
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